Author: David Dorf

Weaving through the bustling vendor booths at NRF’s Big Show, I couldn’t help but notice several recurring themes—patterns that promise to reshape our industry’s landscape in the months and years ahead. While the topics weren’t necessarily new, the approaches to addressing common use cases were. I found myself leaning into certain booths to investigate further […]

It’s that time of year when the pundits opine on what next year will bring for retailers. Rather than listing the top technology trends in retail as I did last year, I’m going to focus on generative AI and highlight some key trends to watch. If 2023 was the year when generative AI exploded on […]

A common refrain for retailers is, “I know generative AI [artificial intelligence] is going to impact our industry, but I’m not sure where to place my bets.” It’s clear the technology has far-ranging capabilities and potential, but where should retailers invest? Of course, the answer will vary for each retailer as each situation is unique, […]

Over the years, retail has seen seismic shifts due to the emergence of new technologies. Examples include the barcode, ecommerce, and mobile phones, all of which had a profound impact on the way shoppers buy from retailers, resetting consumer expectations. (The same could be said for non-technical inventions like the supermarket format and malls, but […]

Since it was released back in November 2022, the internet has been buzzing about ChatGPT. Since then, retailers having been asking two main questions: what is it, and how will it impact my business? Let’s dive into both, staying high-level, and see if we can make sense of all the hype. What is Generative AI? […]

How leading retailers are transforming the industry with advanced cloud-based technologies and services The rise of digital commerce Although digital commerce has been around for almost 3 decades, its growth has recently accelerated, boosted by access to new cloud technologies, better mobile apps, and a raft of new fulfillment options. Consumers are spending more time […]

Twenty years ago, when the internet and ecommerce became mainstream, no one envisioned the social media channels and immersive games that are available today. At that time, a website with professional, attractive images and an intuitive checkout process seemed sophisticated to most consumers. Fast-forward to the early 2020s, and that basic brochureware-style website seems boring […]

If you consider the last few decades, the retail industry has gone through a massive transformation. From the corner drug store of yesteryear, to the massive malls of the 80s and 90s, and from online marketplaces to self-service kiosks and social media shopping, the retail landscape has evolved in ways that no one would’ve imagined. […]

In his recent WSJ article, Joe Peppard, from the MIT Sloan School of Management, takes the position that the IT department has outlived its usefulness. The IT department at many companies has grown into such a powerful force that it’s hard to imagine a company without one. With that said, the article certainly got me […]

AWS has joined the MACH Alliance, a group of independent software vendors advocating for an open, modern architecture for digital experiences. AWS is proud to participate in this group to facilitate innovation and better support enterprises, retailers, and CPG companies to deliver the best experiences for their customers. Early versions of the Amazon.com webstore were […]